Device for the treatment of sleep-related conditions

Abstract

A device and related methods are provided. The device may be for the treatment and detection of various medical and non-medical conditions, including for detecting and treating snoring and sleep apnea, for detecting rapid eye movement of a sleeping person, and for detecting drowsiness or sleepiness of a person. The device may include an alert indicator for providing alerts to the person and a sensor configured for sensing one or more conditions of the person and communicating the condition to the alert indicator.

1 . A method of monitoring a person, the method comprising:
 detecting movement of the person's eyelids using a sensor that is configured for contacting the person;   determining whether movement of the person's eyelids is indicative of sleepiness by comparing the detected movement to a predetermined value; and   providing an alert to the person in response to determining movement indicative of sleepiness thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether movement of the person's eyelids is indicative of sleepiness comprises determining a frequency of movements of the person's eyelids. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting movement of the person's eyelids comprises using a sensor that is proximal to the person's eye. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein detecting movement of the person's eyelids comprises detecting up and down movement thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein providing an alert to the person comprises providing an audible alert to the person's ear. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing an alert to the person comprises providing one of an audible alert, visual alert, contact alert, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A method of monitoring a person, the method comprising:
 detecting movement of the mechanisms of eye movement of the person using a sensor that is configured for contacting the person; and   determining whether movement of the mechanisms of eye movement is indicative of rapid eye movement (REM) by comparing the detected movement to a predetermined value.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining whether movement of the mechanisms of eye movement is indicative of REM comprises determining a frequency of movements of the mechanisms of eye movement. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein detecting movement of the mechanisms of eye movement comprises using a sensor that is proximal to the person's eye. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein detecting movement of the mechanisms of eye movement comprises detecting movement of the mechanisms of eye movement indicative of up and down movement of the eyes, side-to-side movement of the eyes, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein detecting movement of the mechanisms of eye movement comprises detecting movement of each of the person's eyes. 
     
     
         12 . A method of monitoring a person during sleeping, comprising:
 detecting movement of the soft tissue below the person's jawbone using a sensor that is configured for contacting the soft tissue; and   determining whether movement of the soft tissue is indicative of snoring by the person.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising providing an alert to the person in response to determining snoring thereby. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining whether movement of the soft tissue is indicative of snoring comprises determining a frequency of measured movements. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 detecting movement of the mechanisms of eye movement of the person using a sensor that is configured for contacting the person at a position about the person's eyes; and   determining whether movement of the mechanisms of eye movement is indicative of rapid eye movement (REM) by comparing the detected movement to a predetermined value.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein determining whether movement of the mechanisms of eye movement is indicative of REM comprises determining a frequency of movements of the mechanisms of eye movement. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein detecting movement of the mechanisms of eye movement comprises detecting movement of the mechanisms of eye movement indicative of up and down movement of the eyes, side-to-side movement of the eyes, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein detecting movement of the mechanisms of eye movement comprises detecting movement of each of the person's eyes. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein detecting movement of the soft tissue using a sensor comprises using a sensor that is adhered to the soft tissue,
 wherein providing an alert to the person comprises using a device positioned about the person's ear that is configured for emitting the alert, and   further wherein the sensor and the device are in wireless communication.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the sensor is further configured to detect one or more additional characteristics, and the method further comprises comparing the one or more additional characteristics to the detected movement of the soft tissue in order to detect snoring.